Processing News
Scottish Government pledges cash for seafood sector The Scottish Government has promised £1.8m to help seafood businesses sell to markets in the UK and overseas
Above: (From left) James Robertson, Mairi Gougeon, Kevin McDonell, Donna Fordyce, Simon Robertson and Michael Robertson
THE initiative is intended to help the sector recover from the twin impacts of Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. It was announced by Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon on a visit to processors
Joseph Robertson in Aberdeen last month. The funding, managed by trade marketing body Seafood Scotland, will support businesses to access new markets within the UK and abroad, including campaigns
in Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East. The work will also include developing a strategy to encourage sustainability and improve quality assurance and accreditation of sea-
food produce. Seafood Scotland hopes that, as major international trade events begin again, together with a number of virtual online events, these platforms will enable it to engage with buyers to experience first-hand the broad range of seafood available. In Scotland, “buy local, support local” campaigns will also encourage growth in the domestic market, capitalising on rising demand for seafood provenance and quality. Seafood Scotland will form close links with leading chefs, working alongside
ing for businesses in the seafood sector who have faced significant losses due to hospitality closures from Covid-19 and a The last raft of new trade barriers and bureau16 months cracy following Brexit. have been “The seafood sector devastating for is a crucial part of our rural economy, supbusinesses porting jobs in coastal communities and our priority has been to protect people’s livelihoods. “While we continue to work to resolve them to make Scottish some of the export seafood a prized, pre- issues the sector faces, this new mium item on menus funding will help the across the globe. Mairi Gougeon said: sector’s longer term recovery from these “The last 16 months recent challenges.” have been devastat-
“
”
Fish processors air problems with the PM REPRESENTATIVES of the fishing and fish processing industries in Scotland met with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on 5 August to share their concerns over quota nego�a�ons and labour shortages. The mee�ng took place in Fraserburgh, in north east Scotland. Chief Execu�ve of the Sco�sh Seafood Associa�on, Jimmy Buchan outlined how Brexit and Covid-19 had combined to create a perilous situa�on for companies in the seafood sector, with produc�on and export capacity severely reduced. He demanded urgent ac�on from the Prime Minister to help address the issue of labour shortages within the sector. Also at the mee�ng, representa�ves from the fishing industry called on the PM to nego�ate a be�er deal for the UK sector’s alloca�on of quotas, and raised concern that the drive to exploit renewable wind power along the coast could have an impact on offshore fishing grounds. A�er the mee�ng, Jimmy
22
Processing News.indd 22
Buchan said: “I along with others from the catching sector made it plain to the Prime Minister that the Brexit deal had fallen far short of expecta�ons. And most per�nently for the processing sector, I sought an assurance that the Government would work closely with us to resolve the cri�cal shortage of labour. He agreed that a campaign was required to encourage young people into the industry and on the need for direct ac�on to stem the haemorrhage of overseas workers that has occurred since 1 January.” Jimmy Buchan agreed to carry out further discussions on how to move forward with Scotland Office minister David Duguid. Elspeth Macdonald, chief execu�ve of the Sco�sh Fishermen’s Federa�on also commented: “The Prime Minister has spoken previously of an El Dorado of fish from 2026 onwards but we are seeking a commitment from him to deliver much be�er opportuni�es for the Sco�sh fleet in
the mean�me as well as in the longer term.” “In the short term it will be a case of survival for the industry, but we want to thrive, and to ensure that we can build back this industry we need to start planning now.” As well as Brexit, food processors have been hit by Covid-19 self-isola�on rules – the so-
called “pingdemic” – with many workers having to stay at home a�er being no�fied that they have been in proximity to an individual who has tested posi�ve. Last month, the rules on isola�on were changed to allow priority workers in the food supply chain to take daily Covid-19 tests if they have been “pinged”, rather than having to isolate.
Above: Boris Johnson (2nd from right) meets fishing and processing chiefs
www.fishfarmermagazine.co.uk
09/08/2021 14:29:06
